Breastfeeding support cont.
Thought I'd continue this topic on a new thread.
The most common reason mums contact me is because of painful breast feeding with grazed and/or bleeding nipples.
The only way to prevent or correct this is to ensure that baby is positioned and attached well at the breast.
I will try and describe this, especially for newborn babies but the same principles apply even for older ones.
SIT UPRIGHT in a comfortable chair, not in bed, a foot stool may also help.
UNWRAP your baby, position him with his tummy against your tummy and curled around your waist.
If you are feeding on the right side, support your baby with your left arm. Open you hand and place the palm behind the shoulders, at the base of the neck with your thumb and forefingers just under the ears. This allows your baby to throw back his head and open his mouth wide (a normal action when they want to feed).
Your elbow should be supporting your baby's bottom and curling him around you.
Baby's upper arm at your breast and lower arm at your waist.
Do NOT lift or move your breast, let it lie naturally and bring the baby to the breast so that the nipple is positioned just above the top lip and the mouth is opposite the areola.
Support your breast by placing thumb and forefinger just behind the areola and shape you breast so that it is parellel to the baby's lips. When the baby has a very wide gape (like a yawn) bring him quickly on to the breast making sure he has taken a large amount of areola at the chin level (more areolar will be visible at the nose level).
Next time you eat a very thick burger think of how you place it your mouth, it is a similar action,(you are the baby and the burger is your breast)
When correctly attached baby's mouth should be wide open, his chin tucked into the breast and his nose free from your breast so he can breathe easily without you needing to press your breast to clear the nose.
Remember babies feed on the areola not the nipple. Your nipple will be drawn deep into the baby's mouth and sits against the soft palate, that is why there is no pain or damage.
If the attachment is not deep the nipple will be pressed against the hard palate causing pain and grazing.
I hope this is helpful to some of you ladies who are pregnant and thinking of breast feeding. It is not easy to describe such a practical action and there are variations to this to suit different situations. I am happy to help anybody who is having problems.
Happy feeding.
